Hello to all, I am a returnee to SFG after a few years.My question is, Iam looking to add a beach fixed spool rod to my armoury.I fish mainly Hayling to Hillhead, have a penn surfblaster 7000, will be using .18 braid.The only fixed spool rodI can find in the 100 pound price that has a sliding reel seat - which I need as I have long avrms and not much muscle ie skinny- is the Shimano Alvio 13 or 14ft. Which just seems a bit soft, I can see it being consistent and gentle on the baits.My multiplyer set up is a Greys 6 multiplyer and Sonik XKS 4-6 13ft.Any ideasc

Hi for info, I have tried an Alvio, easy to lob consistently BUT very poor tip, for wind and wave bounce and very poor bight detection.I have thus purchased a 4.250m Grauvell Technos VT which I have yet to use, but it just feels right, for my local fishing, the small eyes I can see as a problem, but braid, tapered leader 15lb/40lb may cancel any weed issues a little.RegardsRoger Wilkes

I use Abu Hellbenders (14ft) which hve served me well for the past three years after previously using Shakespeare stuff and cheapo composite jobs. Recently Glasgow Angling were selling them at £80 which is phenomenal value as they are normally well over £100 but I don't know if they are still doing it. I believe that the Shakespeare Agility range are now better than they were a few years ago (poor quality fittings put me off) and they do FS reel versions.

Thanks Eccles, I have fished the Technos VT yesterday at Gilkicker, on the blaster 7000+braid, with no effort 30-40m further than I can cast with multiplyer/Sonik SK3.Incredible bite detection-caught 2 whiting.Downside is the glass tip snapped of when I went to 5oz grip from 4oz cos of the damn weed.ThanksRoger

Hmm, now this is why I only have glass tips on my boat rods and then they are seriously thick. When I first started looking for an alternative to the Shakespeares, I knew that I wanted something with a slightly thicker tip than the Shakespeares had at the time. Then I noticed that the Hellbenders did have this feature. If you are using braid you will always get good bite detection anyway because it doesn't stretch at all like mono does. Incidentally, a really long cast is not usually needed in the Solent area unless you want to reach a particular feature. Personally although I can reach around 120 yds if I make the effort, I usually do not much more than 90 yds and closer than that at night. I just cannot be bothered with multis as I do a lot of night fishing and don't want to run the risk of over-runs and birds nests. BTW my casting styles are either airialised OTG or simple pendulum per Alan Yates.

A bit late in reply, but my only reason locally for distance is I have caught codling at Gillkicker many (35) years ago to the left of the point where in the daytime if you got 120m plus you could catch,that was then, but since going the Long rod,fixed spool,braid I can get to recent date pouting at 100m+, better tan a blank, and a taster before dark and the whiting come close.I now cannot get so far with a multiplier,maybe 80/90m,again once dark distance not so relevant,Note the Technos lasted 1 trip, the glass tip broke, replaced for a simmilar but in its mid section a bit more fiberglassy Grauvelle Moonlight

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